 Fewer students are managing to find a place to live through the university’s Headed Tenancy scheme which rents houses and flats from property owners and sub-lets them to students.
The number of students being housed through Headed Tenancy dropped to 518 at the end of 2008, compared with 614 in 2005.
A university spokeswoman said: “We annually receive applications from students that far outweigh our property availability. Unfortunately, it is a difficult time for many property owners with significant effects in the housing market expected for a considerable time to come.” The university blames The Housing Act 2004 for the lack of housing available for students through Headed Tenancy. The spokeswoman said: “The Housing Act 2004 was phased in during 2005 and 2006 and the impact of this was a sharp drop in Headed Tenancy properties between 2005 and 2007.” The Act means that landlords have to adhere to new legislation, making houses safer for homes housing more than five individuals, costing landlords more money. The spokeswoman said: “Unfortunately as a result of these changes, many of our long-term property owners decided to stop renting their properties whilst a number of owners also decided to rent privately and only to do the required works when requested to do so.” Students who have used Headed Tenancy in the past feel that more could be done for students looking for places to live while at university. Kingston graduate Natalie Zyntek used Headed Tenancy in 2006 and feels that although Headed Tenancy provides a good service, there are still areas which need improvement. “Firstly, they were very pedantic about all tenants being there to sign the initial contracts which, considering students come from all over the world, not just the UK, it often proved very difficult to orchestrate a time for everyone to be present to sign,” said Natalie. Natalie advises students not to rely on Headed Tenancy completely, but instead investigate independent estate agents before making a decision. She added: “My advice is to scout out quickly independently of Headed Tenancy and then use them as last resort if you can find nothing better.”
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